


Zombies, Among Other Things

by DecemberCamie



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Family Issues, Gen, Violence, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-07 11:44:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7713682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DecemberCamie/pseuds/DecemberCamie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Killua blinks slowly up at Gon. Then his eyes flicker to Gon’s left and widen. He gasps, “Gon, behind you-!”</p><p>Gon whirls around and comes face to face with a zombie. Its mouth gapes open in a hideous howl. Gon cries out in surprise and instinctively punches the thing in its ugly, half rotted face. </p><p> </p><p>  <i>In other words: Gon follows his best friend across a zombie infested town to find said best friend's sister in his family's mansion while falling from high places, fending off zombies with some badass weapons, getting almost blown up and fighting same best friend's older, manipulative sibling all to make it back to the airport without getting infected and (eventually) reunite with his mom/cousin/aunt. Yeah. This is gonna be a piece of cake.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> "Whether we win or loose, hell lies ahead of us." -Kite

When he finally sees Killua off in the distance, Gon’s heart stops beating for a moment.

Killua spots him a second later and for a good long minute, all they do is stare at each other. Gon sweeps his eyes over his best friend, taking in the muddy, torn clothes and ruffled white hair. There’s blood- but not Killua’s though, and Gon’s grateful for that, even if it means other people had to die for Killua to survive.

At least he’s alive. That’s all that matters.

Killua speaks first, voice hoarse, “I have to find Alluka.”

Fear speeds Gon’s heartbeat up again, making it thud loudly in his chest. “Is she okay?” He loves Alluka, almost as much as Killua, and he knows a part of Killua would die with his sister if anything happened to her.

Killua bits his lip, looks away. “I don’t know,” he admits. “I was out of the house when- you know. It all happened so fast…I haven’t gotten the chance to get back home yet. And I can’t go to the airport until I find her, Gon. I won’t.”

Gon frowns. “I know.” He wouldn’t want Killua to do anything else.

Killua’s face is somber with just a touch of wariness when he says, “You can go ahead if you want. I’ll find you at the safe point, and-”

“What are you saying?” Gon says before Killua can go on. He hates that look on Killua’s face- the look that says ‘you can go on and leave me behind, I’ll be fine’ because it’s a lie, and both of them know it.

He doesn’t point that out though. Instead he just says, “Why do you always try to get rid of me when it gets hard?”

Killua gapes. “I don’t- I wasn’t-”

Gon stamps his foot on the cracked concrete. “You were though! You totally were! You thought I was gonna let you head back in there alone. But I would never do that! I never have and I never will. We made a promise, remember?”

Killua is very still now. He gazes at Gon with wide, crystal blue eyes and swallows. Gon glares right back, hands fists at his side. Killua is thinking about the same thing as Gon, he can tell, about that moment in the heat of summer two years ago-

_“Lets stay together!”_

_“Huh? Why would we do that, dummy?”_

_“Because we’re friends! And friends should help each other out! Mito says everyone has that one person, the person who’s always there for you for the rest of your life, no matter what happens. You like spending time with me, right?_

_“…yeah. I guess.”_

_“So why can’t that be us? If anyone can do it, it would be us! Together, we can do anything.”_

-and they’d been together, ever since that humid night under the stars. They’d made a promise to each other, one that would never be broken even if it was the end of the world.

“I’m not gonna leave you, Killua,” he says softly.

Gon grins when Killua’s cheeks flare bright red. But then Killua abruptly turns on his heel and walks off. Gon yelps and scrambles to catch up as Killua says over his shoulder, “Yeah, I know that! I was just thinking about your aunt. That’s all.”

“Aunt Mito’s okay.” Gon slows as he matches Killua’s pace so they’re walking together side by side. “We made it to the airport last night with Kite.”

Killua blinks. “Last night? But, then why would you leave-?”

“To find you, of course!” Gon chirps. He laughs out loud at Killua’s scowl.

“I can take care of myself!”

“I know, but I wanted to help! I knew you were still out here and I had to find you.”

Killua’s eyes go soft in a way that makes warmth grow in Gon’s chest like he just drank a full glass of hot chocolate. Killua doesn’t say thanks and Gon doesn’t expect him to; Killua explained long ago that _‘friends shouldn’t thank friends, looking after each other is something natural’_.

And it was the truth. Being with Killua was natural, like breathing and smiling and laughing, and that’s all there was to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own HunterxHunter. This work was unedited, so sorry if there's any mistakes. Thanks for reading!
> 
> This is going to be a pretty long story, but I have most of it written already. I'll post the second chapter later today.


	2. Got a weapon?

“Got a weapon?” Killua asks later after they’ve built a bonfire and set up some kind of camping ground for the night. They’re up on a hill so they can see if anyone- or thing- approaches them. The fire helps to warm them up as well as keep any stray zombies away- they hated the heat.

_Uh-oh._ Gon picks at the canned beef Killua stole from some store along the way, knowing Killua won’t like the answer. “Do my fists count?”

Killua rolls his eyes. “ _No._ What are you gonna do, punch the zombies to death?”

Gon winces. “Um. Yes?”

Killua flicks his forehead- _ow! Killuaaaaa,_ he cries out- before he can get away. “Stupid! You’re going to get yourself killed!”

Gon could feel his eyes watering as he rubs where Killua hit him. “But!”

“No buts!” Killua says sternly. “What am I going to do if you get bitten, huh? I can’t save both you _and_ Alluka!” 

Gon winces. Killua’s right, like usual, but. Still. “Well, it worked up until now.”

Killua’s head snaps up. “ _What?_ ”

“Well.” Gon carefully sets his can to the side so he show Killua what he found. “I found this when me and Aunt Mito were cleaning the house a while back- see?”

He holds up his makeshift weapon for his best friend to see. Killua squints to make it out in the low light then makes a grabbing motion. “Let me-”

“Yeah, here.” Gon hands it over and watches Killua turn the glove-like object over in his hands. “It doesn’t look like much, but I tampered with it a little with Bisky’s help and it’s actually really useful! It becomes this fireball thing when you make your hand into a fist and it destroys whatever you hit. Its crazy powerful depending on how much force you put into the punch.”

“How does it work?”

“Batteries. And blood.”

Killua looks at him sideways, an eyebrow raised. “Blood?”

Gon can’t help but smile sheepishly. “Yeah.” He’d tried everything but blood was really the only way it would turn on, as weird as it sounded. Batteries fueled the thing once it was active.

“How did you find this thing?”

“I think it belonged to my dad,” Gon says. “There were blueprints inside the glove in his handwriting.”

Killua bites his lip. “I’m sorry, Gon. You’ll probably never find him now.”

Gon shrugs. Ging didn’t seem like someone who would let the end of the world get the better of him. Gon would bet anything his dad was still out there somewhere, and Gon would find him eventually. But- “We can worry about that later, after we find Alluka. She’s more important right now.”

Killua nods, worry flooding back into his face. “Right.”

Gon wants nothing more than to wipe that expression away. But he can’t, not until they get Killua’s sister back safe and sound. To distract him, Gon asks, “What about you?”

“What about me?’

“Do you have a weapon?”

“Oh. Yeah, ‘course I do. Who do you think I am? I don’t come from a family of weapon manufacturers for nothing!”

He reaches into his pockets and pulls out two yo-yos.

Gon’s eyes widen involuntarily. “Are those-?”

Killua grins. “You bet.”

“And they work?” Gon remembers Killua complaining to him a while ago about how he was trying to figure out a new way to work electric whips into kid toys- so no one would suspect how deadly they really were until it was too late- and how hard it was to find a cohesive alloy. Killua never liked being a test subject for his family’s inventions, but coming up with his own meant he would be able to protect himself- and Alluka- against them in the future.

For Killua, self-defense had been a necessity since birth.

“Yep! Fixed them up just in time for this shit show to start.” Gon blinks as Killua stands up, wrapping string around his fingers.

“Each one of these weigh fifty kilograms,” Killua explains and lets them both hang in the air. Electric spasms of light flicker down the cord connecting to the yo-yo part. “-so they pack quite a punch.”

He lets one fly to their right- away from Gon’s head- and it smashes into a tree, straight through the trunk and shattering the bark. Gon whistles, impressed.

“Wow. But will the electricity hurt the zombies?” Another thought turns Gon’s blood to ice. “Will it hurt _you_?”

“Pffft, nah. I’m electric resistant, remember?” Killua yanks the yo-yos up into the air and does some fancy tricks. Gon tries to follow them with his eyes but Killua is somehow an expert and he moves too fast for Gon to trace. “As far as the zombies, all I have to do is smash their heads in and they’re done for. And I’m pretty sure the electricity can paralyze their bodies. Haven’t tried it out yet, though.”

Gon barely hears him; he’s still watching Killua’s yo-yos spin through the space above their heads.

“How do you do that?” Gon asks in awe.

Killua smirks. “I once won a contest when I was younger.”

“I thought that was in dart throwing, though?”

His friend shrugs. “That too.”

Gon feels his mouth hanging open. Killua really is- “You’re amazing!”

Killua snorts, pockets the yo-yos, and says, “Hardly. I was just bored.”

But Gon can tell Killua’s cheeks are a shade darker, even in the flickering firelight, and he beams. Even if Killua didn’t think so, Gon likes to remind him just how special he really is. Gon didn’t know who else he would rather have at his side, especially during a zombie apocalypse. 

“I’m glad you’re here with me,” Gon admits lowly as he wrings his hands in his lap. He sees Killua’s head whip around to stare at him. For a moment, Killua doesn’t speak and Gon stays silent, heartbeat thudding loudly in his ears.

Finally Killua lets out a resigned sigh and plops down next to Gon on the ground. “Yeah,” he says, just as quiet. “Me too. I don’t know how many people would willingly head into this bloodbath with me.”

Gon hums. “Kurapika and Leorio?”

“Maybe.” Killua leans into Gon’s right arm and warmth blossoms under Gon’s skin where they touch. “Still. I- I would want it to be you, though.”

Gon can’t hold back his smile. The moments when Killua shares his feelings are rare, but always one hundred percent genuine. He flings his arms around his best friend’s shoulders, despite said friend’s squawking- and squeezes him. 

“Me too, Killua! I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own HunterxHunter. As of right now, I plan on updating this story every couple of days. Thank you for all the kudos and everything so far :)


	3. Captain America

“-no way, it’s totally impossible!” Killua huffs.

Gon pouts while trying to step on top a large chuck of broken cement. “It’s not!”

“Yeah, it is! Give it up, Gon. Loki has _magic_ on his side. Magic! What can Captain America do against that with his dumb shield?”

“A lot of things! He can probably block Loki’s magic-”

Killua clicks his tongue before Gon can finish. “No. The shield was made in the- what? Fifties?”

“It was during World War II, right? That’s before the fifties.” Gon’s brow furrows. He thinks so, at least.

“Yeah, you’re right. But that only proves my point more.” Killua carefully climbs around a section of leftover debris that’s jutting out at an odd angle. They’re only about half way to the top of this broken cement mountain that had once been a tall building.

“How?” Gon asks and accepts Killua’s offered hand.

“Because-” Killua grunts as he pulls Gon up. “-that was so long ago they weren’t worried about magic aliens. They wouldn’t have made the shield to protect against that kind of stuff. Besides, Loki’s a god. Steve Rogers is just a normal guy.”

“He’s not a normal guy though. He’s a superguy-” Gon begins to say, but then his sneaker slips on something and he’s _falling_ -

“Erk!” 

Gon’s drop stops short when two sweaty hands clench his in a steel-like grip. His shoulder pops painfully and he cries out.

“Gon!” Killua hisses from somewhere above him. Gon looks up to see Killua holding onto him, keeping him from tumbling all the way down the pile of shattered cinderblock. He would’ve fallen to his death without Killua’s lightning-quick reflexes.

“K-Killua,” he stutters and his friend’s face twists with the effort of suspending Gon’s dead weight.

“Gon, jesus, grab on to something! I can’t hold you up for much longer.” Sweat glistened on Killua’s forehead and his hands were starting to slide on Gon’s.

Fear sent a jolt of adrenaline pumping through Gon’s veins. He scrambled to get a footing and made it to a secure landing just as Killua’s grip weakened completely. 

Together the pair breathed a sigh of relief. 

“Don’t ever,” Killua pants. “Do that again. Got it?”

His face is as white as a sheet, paler then Gon’s ever seen it. Killua had been really scared, he realizes, almost as scared as Gon himself. He’d been scared for Gon, scared to lose him. Gon swallows thickly. “Yeah…”

“What even happened?! We were just talking and then you suddenly dropped out of nowhere!” 

“I don’t know! The ground was slippery.” Gon twists around to look below. On the cinderblock where he had just been standing, was a sheen coat of glimmering scarlet.

“Blood. Fresh blood,” Killua says in a hoarse tone as Gon’s mouth goes dry. Slowly, he turns to look at Killua. Their eyes lock.

“Do you think?” Gon whispers, almost too scared to voice his fear.

Killua shakes his head. “Dunno. It doesn’t matter though. We have to keep going, don’t we?” He pushes himself back to a standing position. He shakes his hands, continuing to say, “We just have to keep quiet and move fast to get away from this location; something might be heading our way right now. Are you okay to keep going?”

Gon blinks. “Huh?”

Killua heaves a heavy sigh, a sound that Gon knew meant the silver haired teen was trying not to roll his eyes. “You screamed when you fell. Did you hurt yourself at all?”

“Oh. That.” Gon rolls his shoulder, winces at the twinge of pain. It hurts but it’s bearable. “I’ll be fine. I think I just pulled it a little.”

Killua purses his lips and Gon says quickly, “Don’t feel bad! I would’ve died if you hadn’t caught me.”

His friend looks away. “Yeah...I guess. Let’s just get going before something finds us.”

They stay closer together after that, with one of them always above the other in case either of them falls again. They make it over the top of the cracked cement hill shortly and they stop to stare at the scene before them.

Buildings are destroyed with shattered windows and cracked wood doors. Cars are left open and abandoned. Smoke sprays from a revealed pipe several blocks down. And then there are the bodies; the bodies are everywhere, blood staining the street, grass and broken buildings a dull red. They’re not even full bodies, just parts like a finger here or there, an arm or leg left hanging out of an empty truck. The smell of decay leaves a metal taste in Gon’s mouth and his eyes fill with water.

There’s no sight of any zombies, though. That was most important.

Gon coughs and covers his nose with a sleeve to block out the worst of the odor. “Where are we?”

“Hunter Street,” Killua answers and Gon turns to gawk at him. Killua’s gazing straight ahead, refusing to meet his eyes. 

Gon lowers his arm. He says quietly, “This is where we first met.”

Killua nods. “Yeah.”

A pause. Then Gon says, “Nothing is ever going to be the same again, is it?”

“No,” Killua says, emotionless to all except Gon, who knew him best. Gon alone could make out the barest flicker of anger-sadness-regret behind the Zoldyck’s mask.

“At least we have each other,” Gon says and reaches out to squeeze Killua’s cold hand.

Killua tightens his fingers around Gon’s rather than giving a verbal answer, but Gon is fine with that. They never needed words to communicate anyway.

They stand there, shoulder-to-shoulder, and share a quiet moment looking out at their old life in shambles. 

There’s a loud crash to their right. It shatters the peace, Killua’s grip tightens enough to hurt and he gasps-

Gon follows Killua’s wide eyed look, dread pooling in his gut, already knowing what he will find.

He makes out a distorted figure out in the distance; its arms and legs are bent at an awkward angle and it makes jerky, sluggish movements as the thing attempts to leave the building via window. It’s over a block away from them but Gon can still hear the high pitched shrieks. The sound raises the hairs on Gon’s arms and sends shivers down his spine.

He speaks in a hushed murmur, “Is that-?”

“Yes,” Killua answers, just as quiet.

“And you’re house is on the other side of town, right?”

“Right.”

Which meant they had to use this road- and pass that _thing_ \- if they were going to get to Alluka.

Gon’s throat closes up, making it hard to speak. He knew they would have to come in contact with zombies eventually, but seeing his first one was…unnerving. When he and Mito escaped, they had made it to the bunker with Kite. He had protected them, shielding the pair from the gore and violence. Gon remembered being frustrated at the time- he had wanted to fight! But now, he was grateful despite his lack of experience. 

No one should live to see a corpse stumbling around with half its face missing.

“You know,” Killua says out of nowhere, startling Gon out of his thoughts. “Alluka never liked Captain America either.”

Gon’s brow puckers. Why was Killua bringing this back up all of a sudden? He says, “I never said I didn’t-”

Killua interrupts before he can finish. “But you don’t, right?”

Gon doesn’t fight the guilty smile, small though it is, that comes to his face. “No,” he admits. Killua knew him too well.

“Thought so. You don’t agree with his idea of justice.” It wasn’t a question. 

Gon shrugs. Justice was a relative term, he always thought. Fighting for your country was a noble thing, sure. But if the nation’s rules and regulations got in the way of protecting your friends or being there for them when they needed it the most, what was the point? Captain America never really got that.

But Killua did.

“Alluka likes Thor the most, actually,” Killua continues. “Me, I think Thor is a golden retriever swinging a big hammer around. Kinda reminds me of you.” He sends Gon a smirk and Gon scowls. 

“But-” Killua’s expression turns somber again. “I don’t mind being whatever hero she wants me to be, as long as we can save her. It doesn’t matter what obstacles I have to face; I’m going to find my sister.”

Gon nods, feeling a rush of affection towards his best friend. Killua loved his sister so much that he was willing to risk his own life. It was only right that Gon be there by his side.

“With me,” Gon adds. He gives their still linked hands another squeeze.

Killua’s answering smile is twitch of his lips. “With you,” he says softly and holds on tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own HunterxHunter. Gon really needs to be more careful...


	4. Memory Lane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 8/15/16  
> I don't own HunterxHunter. This story was really fun to write so I'm glad you guys like it so far! Thank you for reading ^_^

Gon met Killua on the first day of June two summers ago.

They had both been entered into a three month summer camp. It was a kind of ninja warrior activity event intended to exhaust its participants so they would be too tired to move by the time they arrived home. It sounded great to Gon; he would make new friends and find all types of different ways to push himself!

He hadn’t expected on Killua, though, and after him Gon’s life was never the same again.

Gon remembers the first time he saw Killua, thinking for a brief moment that he was a moonbeam personified. He was the only other teen Gon’s age, slim and lithe, luminescent skin to match silver hair and eyes crafted from midnight skies.

Gon quickly learned that unlike the moon, Killua was anything but soft. He was intuitively clever, a comeback always ready on the tip of his lips, and a trickster at heart. His reflexes were even better than Gon’s, which was saying something. Killua missed nothing, his gaze as sharp as his tongue, and Gon knew from experience that Killua could cut a person down with words before they even knew they were being targeted.

At first the other participants underestimated Killua. But they quickly became wary and frightened after he effortlessly wiped out one of the instructors during a hand-to-hand combat lesson. The instructor was triple his age. 

Gon, on the other hand, thought Killua was endlessly fascinating from the start; he had finally found someone who would match his every step! Killua challenged Gon effortlessly, sometimes exceeding him by the barest of margins. He went on every crazy adventure Gon came up with, even if he didn’t want to. He took the time to explain things Gon didn’t understand, like math- _ugh_ \- and the inner social workings of the world. 

That was only the outside of Killua, though. Gon liked to see the other, softer side of him, when everyone else was gone for the day and it was just the two of them left to waste the night away. 

It was in those moments Killua whispered secrets to Gon about his family, their business of murderous inventions, a dark childhood filled with poison where there should be hugs and torture chambers instead of toy rooms. He talked about freedom like he was a man starved. He told Gon that this camp was the only place he could escape his family and how at the end of the summer he would be forced back to that _prison_ -

“Let’s stay together then!” Gon said that time under the stars.

And so they did. The very next day they secretly enrolled Killua in Gon’s high school. It was the best decision Gon’s ever made.

They spent every day together after that, studying, laughing, playing games...anything that came to their minds, they did. Killua lived on the other side of town from Gon’s house, which made it hard to spend time together during the weekends, but they both had bikes so they managed.

Gon didn’t even know Killua _had_ a sister until school started last year and he saw Killua guiding her down the locker-lined hallway, hand in hand.

“This is Alluka,” Killua said when he introduced them. His face glowed with affection as he smiled down at the tiny girl with dark hair and large periwinkle eyes. “My little sister. Alluka, this is Gon- he’s the friend I was telling you about, remember?”

“ _Best_ friend,” Gon corrected and watched with a grin when Killua’s eyes widened and his cheeks burned scarlet.

Killua rubbed the back of his neck, awkward even as a small smile graced his lips. “Yeah. Sorry, my bad. Gon’s my best friend.”

“And Killua is mine!” Gon chirped, beaming. Alluka had laughed. The sound reminded Gon of wind chimes and bells.

After Aunt Mito, Killua was the first person Gon thought of when the end of the world began. Alluka was the second.

But to the Zoldycks, Alluka was barely thought at all, Gon thinks with a frown as he sprinted down the street, right on Killua’s heels. According to Killua, his relatives mostly ignore Alluka. In fact, they don’t even consider her part of their family.

Gon bites down the boiling anger that threatens to overwhelm him. He focuses harder on the task in front of him:

Running past the zombie that is quickly coming up on their right.

Killua is a silver blur in front of him and Gon can barely keep up as it is. Killua is the fastest person he knows, and Gon could never win in a straight out sprint against him. But this time Gon is trying extra hard; they figured they would stand a better chance of avoiding the zombie’s attention if they sprinted past it rather than sneak around.

Gon’s sneakers pound on the cement, his heart matching the beat and thudding loudly in his chest, but Killua’s steps are light and silent. Gon stares at the back of his friend’s head and wonders if he’s as terrified as Gon is in this moment.

They’re coming up to the zombie now. Closer, closer, closer, _level_ -

They fly down the road, past the zombie, and keep going even after its two blocks behind them. They don’t stop till they reach a crossroad- nearly five miles from where Gon fell on the cinderblock mountain.

Killua slows to a trot and Gon trips over his own two feet trying to break his gallop. He manages to grab a stop sign last minute to keep him from falling face down on the ground. 

“Holy _shit_ ,” Killua moans from behind him. 

Gon leans on his knees, panting. His legs are trembling from the strain of running and he doesn’t have enough air in his lungs to respond. 

“Thank god we ran cross country last year. Right, Gon?”

Gon nods, gasps, “Didn’t we- _ahh_ \- quit though halfway through?”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Why’d we do that, again?”

Gon laughs breathlessly. “You said it was boring.”

“Riiiiiight, I remember now. You kept pulling me away on stupid adventures in the middle of the neighborhood runs.”

Gon whirls around. “They weren’t stupid! You liked them too!”

Killua’s lips twitch. “Yeah, okay, they were pretty cool. Remember the time we found that bug jewel thing in Greed Island Park?”

Gon feels a swell of nostalgia at the memory; they’d skipped out of cross country practice to follow a treasure map they’d just found up in Gon’s attic. Ging had left it for Gon as a challenge, so of course they had to use it. 

Gon asks, “Didn’t it start to rain right after we found the jewel too?”

“Yes!” Killua’s eyes dance with mirth and Gon knows his face mirrors the same expression. “We were soaked through. Mito had to give me some of your clothes to wear home. My mom was so _pissed_.” 

“Really?” Gon hadn’t known that. His stomach twists uncomfortably at the thought. If Killua’s family wasn’t happy with him there were usually consequences. 

“Don’t look so worried, Gon! Jeesh. She didn’t do anything except lock me in my room all weekend so I wouldn’t stay out so late again. But that was whatever. I snuck out whenever I wanted to anyway.” He straightens up and turns around to look west. He points down another cracked road filled with empty, dark buildings. “My house is down that way.”

Gon bites his cheek to stop himself from asking more questions, though he would like too. Killua probably wouldn’t tell him anything else even if he did ask. So instead he says, “Will we have to pass more zombies?”

Killua makes a face. “Most likely.”

Gon groans. “Do we have to?”

“Yes. Stop being such a baby. Are you scared or something?”

It’s a joke. But Gon can’t help but answer honestly, standing up and pushing himself into the other teen’s personal space, “Of course I am! Aren’t you?”

Killua looks startled at the question and his brows furrows. Then he sighs. “Yeah. But I’m not worried.”

Surprise jolts through him. “Why not?” 

Killua rolls his eyes. “Don’t you remember what you said? As long as we’re together, we can do anything. A couple zombies aren’t gonna stop us.”

Gon’s chest feels tight with warmth. He smiles so wide his cheeks hurt and he says, “Yeah.”

“C’mon, then. Let’s get going.” Killua heads off down the road and Gon quickly jogs over so they can walk side by side.

“I have a question,” Gon begins to ask. 

“Okay. Shoot.”

“How do you know Alluka’s still at your house? It’s been a couple of days since the zombies took over.”

Killua tucks his arms behind his head. “Well. There’s this thing with my family when it comes to life or death kind of situations. As Zoldycks we’re responsible for ourselves as soon as we come of age. Both of my parents have told me if something bad were to ever happen, it’s my job to head to our vacation house safely. No one else is going to come search for me.”

Gon frowns. He really doesn’t understand Killua’s family. Aunt Mito hadn’t left his side the moment they knew something weird was going on. “I always thought family were supposed to look after each other.”

Killua’s face darkens. “My family isn’t normal, Gon. It’s more of a cult then anything.” He bitterly kicks a piece of shattered glass. It makes a clinking sound as it hits against the sidewalk.

Gon’s heart contracts painfully. “Killua…”

“Anyway,” his friend says loudly, talking over Gon as he shoves his hands in his pockets. “The point is, even though I was out of my house when the apocalypse hit, my family knows that I would eventually get to our vacation house unscathed. And I could, if I wanted to.”

“You don’t though, right?” Gon asks, just to make sure.

Killua snorts. “ _No_. ‘Course not. Who do you take me for? Once I find Alluka we’re going to get as far away from them as possible. This might be our only chance to escape.”

Gon jumps over a fallen streetlight. “You know, Killua, you and Alluka are always welcome with me and Aunt Mito. You could be our family, instead. If you wanted.”

“You’ve said that before,” Killua huffs out as his cheeks begin to turn a light shade of pink.

“You never believe me, though!” Gon protests.

Killua looks away but Gon can still make out the edge of his smile. His friend says, “That’s because you’re always saying the weirdest stuff. I never know what to believe when it comes to you.”

“I’m being serious, Killua.” Gon grabs Killua’s plaid sleeve and forces him to turn around so they’re face to face. He ducks down so he can catch Killua’s azure gaze. “I mean it! My home is your home. Do you really think I would joke about that?”

Killua bites his lip, flushing harder now. “No. You wouldn’t- you wouldn’t do something like that.”

Gon brightens; he’s glad Killua wasn’t brushing him off. “Think about it, Killua! We wouldn’t have to ride our bikes all over town on the weekends anymore. We would get to be together all the time and go on all kinds of adventures!” He gasps as a thought occurs to him and starts to shake Killua in his excitement. “Maybe- hey, Killua- do you think we could share a room, maybe?”

Killua lets out a laugh- it sounds a little broken and helpless, to Gon’s ears, but it’s still a laugh- and shakes his head. “How am I supposed to know? You would be making all the plans, me and Alluka would just be along for the ride. And we already go on adventures, stupid. You’ve dragged me all over this town more times than I can count.”

Gon’s answering grin is wide and sincere. “Yeah but whenever I’m with you it’s an adventure, so if we lived together, then _every day_ would be an adventure! Can you picture it, Killua? Every day!!!”

Bemusement colors Killua’s voice, “Let’s try to find Alluka first, and then we’ll figure out what to do, okay?”

Gon nods enthusiastically. “Okay!”

They continue down the street, Killua walking smoothly in contrast to Gon’s skip. At the end of the road, Gon wonders out loud, “How much longer, do you think till we reach your house?”

“An hour or two. Maybe more. It would be faster with bikes, but…”

“Yeah. No bikes in an apocalypse.”

“Nope.” Killua makes a popping sound with the ‘p’.

“But you think Alluka will be there?” he asks, bringing them back to the original topic at hand.

Killua casts his eyes to the sky. He’s quiet for a moment. Then says, “Alluka is different from the rest of us, you know. She hasn’t gone through all the training stuff that my parents forced me and my other siblings through. She’s- innocent, I guess. Though my parents would call her _weak_.”

He scowls, disgust written on his face. “Their priorities are seriously messed up, even ignoring the training aspect. They don’t consider Alluka family, Gon. My mom gave birth to Alluka but they treat her like she’s a bomb about to go off.”

Gon begins hesitantly, “So, when the zombies started to take over…”

Killua’s expression turns hard with cold fury. Hatred rolls off him in waves. “They would have left her to fend for herself, knowing full well that there’s no way she could survive.”

Gon stares at Killua with horror. His heart stutters in his chest. Killua isn’t lying, he could tell.

“Alluka is definitely at the house,” Killua says. “The only question now is whether she’s infected or dead.”


	5. Rock, Paper, Scissors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 8/20/2016  
> I don't own HunterxHunter.  
> I'm re-watching the series (again) with my Dad and we just hit the Chimera Ant Arc. I feel so bad for him, he has no idea what's about to go down. Anyway, enjoy the chapter! Thanks for reading!

The thing is, in a zombie apocalypse, you’re gonna come across zombies. Gon should’ve expected that they were going to find more than the one they saw earlier. And he did, in a way. But he didn’t really expect it to be like _this_.

“I can’t believe it,” hisses Killua to his left. “Is this for real?”

Gon tilts his head to the side. “I didn’t know zombies could even make base camps.”

“They shouldn’t!” Killua snaps. “They’re _dead_. They can’t have the intelligence to form mass groupings like this!” 

Gon gives him a helpless shrug before looking back at the crowd of zombies that is growing below them. There are hordes of dead bodies trudging around, stumbling over rocks and twitching at the slightest breeze. They didn’t seem to be doing anything except moan a lot. Gon could hear the disturbing cries even from this height; he and Killua were hiding behind the remains of a destroyed building, a mound similar to the one they’d climbed that morning. 

The only reason they hadn’t been discovered yet was because they were too high up for the zombies to smell or hear them. It was the perfect scouting point, according to Killua.

“How is this even fair?” Killua groans. “Of all the places for them to do this, it _had_ to be at the edge of my family’s property. Someone has to be out to get me.”

Gon squints at the metal gate just behind the zombies and the forest just beyond it. The gate marked the start of Killua’s large estate and his mansion was somewhere beyond the trees. Killua would know how to get to his house, even without a car or bike, but the real problem was making it past the living dead in the first place.

Killua continues complaining, “Is this karma? Is God trying to get back at me for all the bad things I’ve done? I’ve been pretty good lately though-”

“Killua,” Gon cuts in gently. “We need to find a way to get around the zombies.”

The pale teen grimaces. “Ugh. Fine. Let’s get to it, then.” He peers at the zombie camp with narrowed eyes, this time seriously considering the issue at hand.

“There’s too many of them,” Gon mutters. They would be dead themselves if they tried to get past with brute force. “I don’t think we would make it if we just ran by like we did with the other one.”

“Not necessarily. Not with both of us.”

Gon looks at Killua sharply, not liking the tone of Killua’s voice. “What do you mean?”

“We could probably fight a good amount of them if we both attack head on,” Killua says. “Just not all of them. We would get overwhelmed eventually.”

“Yeah, so? What’s your point?”

“So, if one of us attacks and the other runs past-”

“No!” Gon leaps to his feet. “No, Killua, you are not sacrificing yourself for me-”

“I didn’t even say anything!” Killua snaps as he jumps upwards to match Gon’s height.

Gon glares venomously. “You didn’t have to! It was totally obvious what you were going to say. It’s a stupid idea!”

“Is not!” Killua seethes, taking a step closer.

“Is too!” Gon leans forward with bared teeth and suddenly they’re nose to nose and the only thing Gon can see is Killua’s blazing sapphire eyes.

“It’s not stupid if it saves your life, dumbass!”

“It _is_ ,” Gon insists. “-because you would lose yours in the process! Any plan that ends with you dying or dead is a bad one!!”

“But you would survive!” Killua pokes Gon hard in the chest.

“I wouldn’t want that! It’s pointless if you’re not there, Killua!”

That stops Killua short. His best friend stands still, chest heaving and eyes blown wide.

Gon takes a calming breath, says again, “It would be pointless. How do you think Alluka would feel knowing you died so I could get to her? How do you think _I_ would feel?”

Killua stares, unblinking. “You-”

“I would feel like I died too, Killua,” Gon says plainly and Killua’s face twists as if in pain. Gon watches a spiral of emotions flicker faster than lightning in Killua’s eyes- _anger, frustration, grief, horror_ \- before finally settling on acceptance.

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Killua sighs. “No dying.”

“No self-sacrificing,” Gon corrects. If they died together to save Alluka, Gon would be okay with that. At least they would have tried their best.

Killua bobs his head. “No turning into zombies.”

Gon shudders at the image that comes to his mind. “You’d be a terrifying zombie.”

Killua smirks. “Damn right. I’d rule that mob of mindless matter down there.”

“Speaking of-”

“Yeah, right. Back to planning.” Killua is quiet for a few moments, scanning the area around them. Then he points at something to their right. “What about that? Do you see the steel beam over there?”

Gon follows Killua’s finger. There is indeed a steel beam hanging off the shattered cement hill that they’re hiding behind. It doesn’t quite touch the gate but it’s far enough that they could just barely make it over the gate if they jump.

“Do you think we would make it?” Gon asks Killua, who is always been better at measuring risk.

“Probably. We don’t have much of a choice. I really don’t think there’s another way around this other then-”

“You are not attacking them alone!” Gon says harshly and Killua rolls his eyes.

“I _know_. So this is the only option, then.”

It seems like a dicey idea, even to Gon, but Killua is the smartest strategist Gon knows and if he says they don’t have another choice then they really, really don’t. They would just have to be quick and run over the beam before any of the zombies caught sight of them.

It was going to be hard. Nearly impossible. But that was the kind of challenge Gon lived for.

“You’re a freakin’ adrenaline junkie, you know that?” Killua accuses him once they scramble over to the beam.

Gon blinks innocently but continues to stretch out his legs. “Oh? You really think so?”

“I don’t think, I know. Why are you always so excited to risk your life, huh?”

Gon smiles sheepishly. He couldn’t help himself from getting eager, it was just how he is. The idea of pushing himself to his limits was thrilling. He wants to know how far he can go. Just what heights can he reach?

He won’t say that to Killua, though. His silver haired friend got touchy whenever Gon mentioned stuff like that.

Instead Gon points out, “You get excited too.”

Killua raises an eyebrow. “Not like you do. No one gets as hyped up on danger as you.”

Gon laughs. “No, I guess not.” He finishes stretching out his legs and stands up straight. “So. Should I-?”

“I’ll go first,” Killua cuts in. “I’m faster, remember?”

“But what if the beam isn’t as stable as we think it is? What if you fall?”

“What if you go first and _you_ fall?” Killua shoots back.

He has a point. But- “I still think I should go first. I’m heavier then you so if it doesn’t fall under me then you’ll be okay to cross.”

“No way. I can test the beam if I go before you. I’ll know if it’s safe or not for you to run across.”

They glower at each other for a solid minute before they move simultaneously.

“Rock! Paper! Scissors!” They shout at each other, Gon grinning manically, unable to hold back, Killua baring his teeth. “And- _shoot!_ ”

A tense second passes. Then-

“Shit!” Killua swears and Gon pumps his fist in the air.

“Yes!” he yells gleefully. He’d used scissors on a whim and it had totally paid off.

“You thought I was going to use rock, didn’t you?” he asks Killua who scowls.

“You always use rock when you really care about the outcome,” Killua growls and shoves his hands deep in his pockets.

Gon giggles. “Sorry, Killua! You’ll just have to watch this time.”

“Yeah, whatever. Just make sure you’re extra careful, alright?”

Gon nods, testing the beam with one foot. He steps up and places the other foot in front. It feels steady but he’s still at the beginning part. 

“Remember- fast and light. You got that, Gon?”

Gon waves a hand to show he’s heard. He inches across the beam and eventually he gets to the part where it separates from the pile completely. Now he’s suspended over air. One wrong move and he’ll fall into the zombie crowd below.

He can smell them, now; the overpowering stench of blood, rotting meat and days old clothes. It’s enough to make him gag. His mouth tastes of iron and his shirt sticks to his back with sweat. For a moment he’s overwhelmed, standing suspended stories above ground.

“Gon!” Killua half whispers, half shouts. “Hurry up before they see you!”

Killua’s voice brings Gon back to himself. He turns to look back and gives Killua a reassuring smile “It’s okay, Killua-” when suddenly the beam drops half an inch.

Both Gon and Killua freeze. Their gazes lock. 

“Gon,” Killua says in a hushed undertone. “Get back here. Now.”

His mouth has gone dry so he can only nod silently. His heart pounds in his ears as he takes the tiniest step back towards his best friend, towards safety.

Creak.

Gon has a split second to make out Killua’s eyes- huge like saucers- before the beam collapses under him.

He sees Killua’s mouth split open in a bloodcurdling scream-

“ _GON!!!_ ”


	6. Boom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 8/25/2016  
> I don't own HunterxHunter. I changed the overall description of this story because I thought it might be more interesting this way! I might change it back, might not. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

“ _GON!!!_ ”

Gravity barely starts to take effect on Gon’s body when he sees Killua throw himself over the edge, hurtling down after Gon.

Gon’s blood turns to ice- _no, Killua can’t fall, Gon can die but_ Killua can’t- but he doesn’t even have the chance to scream before Killua is there, next to him, grabbing Gon’s elbow and dragging them closer, closer-

Gon inhales sharply; Killua’s eyes are sharp and intense as sapphires, taking up Gon’s entire vision. Gon stares openly at his best friend and Killua stares back. For a precious moment in time, the world fades away and it’s just Gon and Killua, falling through the air.

Then Killua’s eyes crinkle upwards as he smiles. Killua grips Gon’s upper arms so tight they hurt and twists himself under Gon. Abruptly Gon is above and Killua is below him facing the grey sky, and Gon realizes a second too late what it means.

His throat burns as he shrieks, “ _NO-_ ”

They crash into the ground with a sickening crunch, Killua’s body cushioning Gon’s from the jarring impact.

Pain comes in the form of scrapped skin and bone hitting cement. The breath is gone from his lungs and for a good ten seconds stars dot his vision. All that is meaningless, though, because Killua isn’t moving underneath him.

Gon shoves himself off his friend. “Ki-Killua!”

Killua’s eyes are open but blank, mouth open slightly. Gon hadn’t heard him make a sound when they landed.

“Killua. No, no, nonononono!”

He shakes Killua’s shoulders but the pale teen is limp and lifeless in his hands.

Gon can’t breathe, his chest is too tight. He gulps, “You can’t- please, please, don’t do this! Please, don’t-”

His vision blurs and he rubs at his face roughly. There had to be- _something,_ anything he could do!

Its then he spots Killua’s upturned arm and an idea hits him. He presses a shaking finger to Killua’s wrist, heart in his throat, and finally he feels a flicker of life. He sighs in relief; the pulse of Killua’s heartbeat is weak, but it’s there. Now that he’s paying attention, he can see the faint rise and fall of Killua’s chest. Gon’s gaze rakes desperately over Killua to locate any other injuries while his hands gently check the rest of Killua’s body. He can’t find any injuries besides a couple of scrapes.

A rush of gratefulness overwhelms Gon. The feeling is so intense he can hardly move; he bows his head over Killua and presses their foreheads together. His throat burns, making it hard to get air to his lungs, and tears prick at the corner of his eyes. He didn’t know what he would do if- if Killua was-

“Gon,” Killua croaks and Gon jumps in surprise.

“Killua! You’re awake.” He leans back and gives Killua a wobbly smile. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Killua blinks slowly up at Gon. Then his eyes flicker to Gon’s left and widen. He gasps, “Gon, behind you-!”

Gon whirls around and comes face to face with a zombie. Its mouth gapes open in a hideous howl. Gon cries out in surprise and instinctively punches the thing in its ugly, half rotted face.

The zombie goes flying, far away from Gon and Killua, but it’s not the last of their problems.

Now that he knows Killua is alive, Gon can see they’ve been surrounded by a hoard of zombies. He’d almost forgotten exactly where they’d fallen in his panic to make sure Killua was safe.

He swallows thickly and slips on the glove he’d shown to Killua earlier. He is going to have to protect Killua- even though there are no visible injuries, his friend is probably suffering from a concussion. Or he might be in shock and not feel any pain yet. And Gon would rather become a zombie himself then let Killua get hurt again because of him.

Gon lowers into a crouched position.

Killua attempts to get up. “Gon-”

“ _Stay down!_ ” Gon barks at him. “Let me handle this!”

Killua slumps, too stunned at Gon’s tone to argue for once.

For a minute, there’s silence except for the sound of Killua’s raspy breathing. The zombies stand in a circle, watching them. Gon glares back and curls his gloved hand into a fist. What were they waiting for?!

“C’mon!” he finally shouts. “Show me what you got!”

A zombie charges forward and Gon swings. His fist collides with its neck. He can feel fragile bone crack under his hand. A second later, there’s a flash of orange accompanied by a wave of heat and wind. Gon’s nearly thrown backwards by its force.

When his eyes adjust, his mouth falls open at the sight that greets him. The zombies are scattered all over the place, some of them completely torn apart and twitching. None are close enough now to threaten them but there are surviving corpses turning to look at them. Gon’s stomach flips uncomfortably. They didn’t have much time before another batch tried to attack.

“Wha-what did you just do?” Killua stammers.

Gon looks down at his hands. “I don’t know,” he answers honestly. The glove had set off an explosion before when he had tested it out with Kite, but nothing to this magnitude.

“Whatever it was, it saved us. Just keep doing that and we should be okay.” Killua tries to stand again. His arms shake under the strain.

“Killua!” Gon steadies him. “Don’t move!”

“We don’t have a choice!” Killua snaps at him and points at the other zombies, who are half-running, half-dragging themselves towards them. “More are coming- we have to go.”

Gon doesn’t like it. Killua’s cheeks are so pale they’re almost grey and his breathing is heavy. He needs to rest. But they can’t afford that luxury right now. He tugs Killua to his feet just as another wave of moving corpses reach them.

Gon momentarily releases his grip on Killua, turns, slams his fist into a dead creature’s gut.

_BOOM!_

Off goes the explosion. The wave of energy almost causes Killua to lose his footing but Gon grabs his waist before either of them can fall. After the light dies there is a clear path free of zombies. Gon notices with alarm that more zombies survived then he would’ve liked; a lot of them were only thrown a small distance and are already starting to move again. He pushes that thought out of his head and focuses on running through the smoke, Killua sprinting at his side.

“Where are we going?!” he yells into Killua’s ear.

Killua points to a small structure a little ways off, and says as he pants for air, “There, at the watch post. The guard had a secret entrance we can use.”

Gon opens his mouth, “What if-?”

A hair raising screech cuts him off as a stray zombie throws itself into Gon’s path.

Gon tenses but a flash bypasses him faster than he can react. The spinning sphere collides with the zombie’s face in a shower of sparks. It sends electric spasms into the creature’s body and paralyzes it. But by that point the zombie’s head is flying through the air, cleanly severed by blunt force.

It’s over in less than a second. Gon doesn’t even have the chance to break stride before Killua’s yo-yos are shooting back into his pale hands with a heavy thunk.

“Don’t stop moving,” Killua bites out while Gon gapes.

Gon shuts his mouth. “Wow. Killua, that was amazing-”

“ _Later,_ Gon. After we’re in a free zombie zone.”

“Oh.” His breaths are coming in short puffs now. “Yeah.”

They’re almost to the watch tower. Gon’s legs are burning. He doesn’t think he’s ever run this fast before. But then again he’s never had to run with a hoard of zombies on his heels. He can even feel the vibrations of their footsteps in the cement under his sneakers.

They reach the watch tower door with seconds to spare.

Gon’s legs are moving too fast to keep up with his brain; he ends up crashing into the wall next to the door while Killua- more nimble then Gon will ever be- fumbles with the door knob. He throws the door open, shoves Gon in first and slams it shut behind him.

Gon stumbles as his eyes adjust to the dimness. He hears inhumane cries behind him, way too close for comfort, and twirls around. Killua has his back pressed up against the door. He’s barely keeping the zombies from pushing their way in.

“ _Gon!_ ” Killua hisses. “Help me!!!”

“Ah!” Gon grabs a nearby chair and thrusts it under the knob.

Killua drops to his hands and knees, searching in the dark and muttering, “Where is it, where is it, _where is it!?_ ”

The chair screeches under the pressure of the zombies’ strength. Gon throws himself on top of the door, feels the oak start to buckle under his fingers. He’s suddenly very glad the watch tower has no windows.

“Killua, this thing won’t hold for long!” he yells.

“I know that!” Killua’s voice snaps at him from somewhere in the blackness. “I’m trying my best here!”

A warped hand breaks through the door and Gon yelps.

“Killua!” he squeaks and Killua swears loudly.

Two more hands splinter the wood- one by Gon’s foot, the other right next to his ear- when Killua lets out a victory cry and thrusts his hand into the air. Gon makes out a small key in Killua’s long fingers.

“I got it!”

 He sighs in relief. “Great! Where is the-?”

His voice dies in his throat because the abrupt silence is deafening. Gone are the moans and the sound of fingernails scraping against the door frame. Its absence leaves his ears ringing even as his heart throbs with adrenaline.

His eyes find Killua’s, even in the low light. Killua is just as confused as he is with furrowed brows and a down-turned mouth.

“What happened? Where’d the zombies go?” Gon dares to whisper.

Killua bites his lip and begins to say, “I’m not-”

“Killu.”

And just like that, Killua turns to stone. Horror floods his face.

Knowing full well how rare it was for Killua to be so genuinely scared, Gon says with panic, “Killua?”

The white haired teen doesn’t speak. Gon sees him swallow and clench the key in white knuckled fists.

“Killu, come out please.”

The voice is soft but unnerving; it makes Gon’s skin crawl. It sounds familiar. Too familiar. Yet he can’t place a name to the stranger.

Killua rises slowly, one foot at a time. “C’mon, Gon. Let’s head outside. If we don’t, he really will come in and force us out.”

Gon pushes himself off the door. “Killua. I don’t understand, who is it?”

Killua presses his lip into a thin line. “It’s my older brother. Illumi.”


	7. Needles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 8/31/2016  
> I don't own HunterxHunter.  
> I feel the need to say there are mentions of abuse in this chapter. I'll fix the tags and everything too. Enjoy!

Killua goes first, even though Gon wishes he wouldn’t. His friend opens the door so slow it creaks. For a second in time, light illuminates Killua’s hair in a silver-white halo.

Gon winces at the harsh brightness as he steps out of the blackness. There are hundreds of zombies surrounding them in a wide arc with the watch tower at Killua and Gon’s backs. The living dead sway where they stand and twitch like they want to attack but don’t dare move from their position. Gon can guess why that is.

Standing directly in front of them is Illumi Zoldyck, Killua’s eldest brother. His inky hair waves in the breeze like some kind of deep sea eel. He watches them approach with unblinking, soulless eyes.

Killua is standing just a few steps ahead. Gon reaches his side just as Killua says coldly, “What are you doing here, Illumi?”

Illumi tilts his head to the side. “What are you doing here, Killu?”

“I asked you first,” Killua retorts. His body is rigid as stone. Gon wants to reach out, run his fingers through chalky hair or touch one of Killua’s thin arms, anything to calm his friend down. But he knows instinctively that would only end badly for both of them if Illumi saw- which he would because Illumi sees everything.

Illumi hates Gon, after all. Hates everything Gon represents to Killua, the strength of their relationship and how Killua would remain forever out of Illumi’s reach as long as Gon was there to back him. Because of Gon, Illumi would never have full control over the younger boy like he wanted to.

And Gon would do _anything_ to stop that from happening to his best friend. Anything. But for now all he could do was stand side-by-side and offer his silent support.

“Hm. I guess you’re right.” Illumi turns his head to look past the gate into the Zoldyck property. “I was preparing some last minute safety measures to keep anyone out of the mansion. We will most likely return one day and you can never be too careful during an apocalypse. I was just leaving when I heard your voice.”

He turns his dead-like gaze back to Killua. “Your turn.”

Killua scowls and instead of answering says, “So you’ve been inside the mansion?”

“Yes.”

“Did you see Alluka?”

Illumi sighs in fake-disappointment. “Is that why you returned? You could have headed straight for the vacation house instead of coming back here, you know. The butlers would have collected any of your belongings for you.”

“You’re completely missing the point!” Killua spits out. His eyes are alight with loathing and disgust. Gon can feel it coming off of him in waves. “Alluka is inside! She’s alone. I need to find her so I can protect her!”

“Why? That thing isn’t family-” Killua makes a half-strangled furious noise but Illumi continues as if nothing happened. “-and it doesn’t require your protection. It has been dead for quite some time now.”

Killua snaps, “You’re wrong! You, Mother, Father- you’re all wrong! There’s nothing wrong with Alluka, you just don’t see her as worth the effort!”

Gon tries to subtly scan the zombies’ layout while the siblings argue. His heart falls when he realizes there are no breaks in their ranks. He and Killua would have a hard time breaking through, especially now that they’re out of breath, exhausted and definitely injured on Killua’s part.

Plus, they would have to get past Illumi.

“Well, we never have agreed on the subject,” Illumi concedes in a thoughtful tone. “Eventually, though, Alluka will die. You know this, and soon you will have to face that reality.”

Killua _snarls._ “You don’t know anything about her. Alluka isn’t gonna die, I won’t let that happen.”

“This is your problem, Killu. You always care about the wrong things,” Illumi says and Gon’s blood boils. How dare he say that to Killua?!

“And you never cared at all! Not about Alluka or anything else. It’s a wonder you came here to secure the house with that robot attitude of yours.”

Gon feels a swell of pride; a year ago, Killua wouldn’t have been able to fight back against Illumi. Back then, Illumi controlled Killua’s every thought and desire. Gon remembers nights of holding Killua as he physically trembled with fear at disobeying his brother.

Not all of that terror was gone. But they had come a long way and would keep going until Killua felt safe living his life the way he wanted.

“You’re wrong,” Illumi says simply and Killua’s shoulders raise defensively.

“What do you mean?” he asks sharply.

“I care about _you._ I have always loved you, Killua. Since the day you were born. And I will look after you until the day I die. If that’s not love, what is?”

There’s a cold feeling inside of Gon’s gut. Illumi’s words are poison but not the kind that Killua is immune to. And it’s not that Illumi sounds like he’s lying but…

Illumi had always manipulated Killua to further his own goals. So, this too had to be a form of manipulation. Gon knew it, instinctively felt this was the truth, but did Killua?

Killua is frozen besides him, as straight as wood. He’s caught off guard, obviously, by Illumi’s declaration. Gon reaches out to clasp Killua’s wrist, squeezing lightly. He presses comforting circles into Killua’s porcelain skin even as it trembles under his fingers.

Inside his head, Gon hears Killua’s voice echoing back to him from a yearlong memory- _Illumi is family, Illumi would never lie to him, never hurt him-_

_Family wouldn’t do that to each other, right?_

Gon clenches his jaw so hard it makes his teeth ache. His head hurts, just dealing with this. His heart hurts even more.

“You’re wrong,” Gon speaks for the first time. His voice is hoarse.

Illumi turns his head to Gon and Gon has the abrupt sensation of being doused in ice water.

“Oh?” Illumi says. He sounds both puzzled and bothered at the interruption. “And what would you know of our relationship?”

“Enough. Enough to know your so called ‘love’ is twisted and hurts Killua on purpose.” Gon clenches his free hand into a white knuckled fist. “You don’t love him; you just want to control him! Just tell us what the hell you want from us and leave us alone. Are you here to take Killua back?”

Killua inhales sharply and visibly pales.

“You should really stop hanging out with rude boys like him, Killua,” Illumi says. “What would Mother say?”

Killua swallows thickly. “I don’t give a damn what she thinks. I do what I want, remember? Father promised me. Everyone else can go piss off for all I care.”

Illumi frowns. “Ah, yes. Of course. I happen to disagree with him on this case, unfortunately. You need appropriate guidance in this fragile stage of your life so that you may grow up properly.”

_What the hell?_ Gon thinks with a scowl. _What did that even mean?!_

“Oh yeah?” Killua sneers. “Well, too bad. I’m not coming back with you. I won’t let you control every second of my life anymore!”

Illumi says dispassionately, “I have never done anything that wasn’t in your best interest.”

“I don’t believe you. You only do things that benefit yourself.”

For the first time, a flicker of genuine annoyance appears in Illumi’s narrowed eyes. “You are only saying that because of that boy. He’s a terrible influence on you, Killu.”

Gon laughs out loud at that because, seriously? _Illumi_ is saying that to _Gon?_ Really?

Killua can’t hold back a snort, either. He looks sideways at Gon in disbelief and bemusement; Gon grins back helplessly.

“Of all the people who had a bad influence on me-” Killua speaks to Illumi, but keeps his eyes locked with Gon’s. “- you are probably the worst, Illumi.”

Gon doesn’t see Illumi’s face. He’s too busy beaming at Killua, enjoying the warmth spreading through his body, to even care-

Suddenly there’s a hot stabbing pain in his left arm. It’s sharp, intense and _oh my god-_

“ _Ah!_ ” Gon looks down to see a zombie sinking its teeth into his arm.

His eyes go wide. He doesn’t scream because his brain can’t process what’s happening but Killua- Killua’s cry of horror is enough to bring him to his senses.

He flings the creature off of him with enough force that it flies into the air. Killua’s yo-yo smashes into its face, obliterating skin and bone in one simple thrust.

The already-dead body lands with a dull thud. Gon stares. It doesn’t move anymore.

“Gon! Gon!!!”

Gon blinks and tares his gaze away from the corpse to Killua. His friend is frantically pushing up Gon’s sleeve.

His pale hands freeze over the wound. “ _Shit._ ”

The bite is deep. Deep enough to penetrate skin. There’s little blood but the veins around the cut are already darkening to an ugly purple.

Gon’s heart jumps to his throat. He’s been infected by a zombie. Soon, he will become one.

“No. _No,_ this can’t- Gon. You. You can’t be infected. You just have to-” Killua’s hands are shaking violently now. “ _Oh my god._ ”

Gon’s mind is blank. He dimly realizes he’s going into shock. Now that the zombie is gone, the pain has faded to a dull throb. It’s surprisingly bearable.

“This is all my fault,” Killua says shakily. “I could’ve- I should have seen-”

Gon jolts. _No. That’s not-_ “Killua, you can’t blame yourself!” He grabs Killua’s hand in some attempt to comfort him.

Killua’s chest heaves and he shakes his head fiercely. “How can you say that?! You’re hurt- you’re! God, I’m so stupid! I can’t _believe_ I let my guard down when-!”

He freezes in the middle of his sentence. His eyes widen and his mouth falls open. Gon knows that look; Killua’s figured out something important. He asks quietly, “Killua?”

Killua turns slowly, slipping his hands out of Gon’s grasp. Gon follows his gaze to see Illumi still standing there, stance casual like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

“ _You._ ” Killua says softly, but with such deadly intent that goosebumps raise on Gon’s arms. “You did this.”

Gon sucks in a breath. Killua’s eyes are dark slits. Even he can’t help feeling intimidated.

Killua’s brother makes a non-committal noise. “Are you aware that zombies are harder to control then humans, Killua? Humans have functioning brains and emotions that guide their actions. Zombies, on the other hand…” Illumi chuckles but there’s no humor in the sound. “Well. They don’t want anything but a meal. This makes it harder to use my Needles on them, you see.”

Oh.

Gon understands now. Killua had told him all about Illumi’s personal weapon, dubbed ‘Needles’, that were fashioned shortly after Killua himself had been born. Illumi’s Needles were able to abuse other people’s emotions and trick their brains into following any order Illumi gave them.

It was a terrifying ability. And it fit Illumi’s personality perfectly.

“The only good part about the whole thing is that the Needles are Illumi’s invention,” Killua had told him one day in the school cafeteria. He had his chin cupped in one hand and gazed out the window like they weren’t talking about weapons that could destroy life as they knew it. “They won’t be mass produced because he gets the rights of it.”

“What do you mean?” Gon asked, puzzled by Killua’s wording.

Killua pursed his lips. “If there’s one perk of being a Zoldyck, it’s that you get to decide what to do with whatever weapon you create. No one gets a say on what you use it for. Milluki’s made a bunch of computer programs, for example, but he’s sold all of them so he can buy his weird anime toys or whatever the hell he calls them. Mother was furious about the whole thing, but again, there was nothing she could do about it.”

“So, that means…?”

“So, only Illumi can decide if he wants to sell it to a manufacturer or not,” Killua confirmed. “Which he _won’t_ because he’d rather use it all for himself, obviously.”

And this was how Illumi used them, Gon thinks with dread. Now that he was paying attention, he could spot the tiny gold Needles sticking out of zombies’ clothing and even from some of their heads. Killua must have just noticed them too.

“Don’t lie!” Killua hisses at his brother. “You let that one free to attack Gon on purpose! I didn’t see you lose control of any of the other ones! Besides, you never let go of anything once you have its complete and total obedience.”

Illumi smiles. “There’s a first time for everything.”

Gon’s muscles tense, impulsively realizing what’s going to happen before it even begins.

Killua’s hand jumps to his pockets and Gon yells, “Killua, don’t-!”

But it’s too late, and time slows down to a crawl as Killua sends his yo-yos flying with lighting quick speed at his brother’s face.

Gon watches the scene play out in front of him with n slow motion.

The yo-yos don’t land, naturally. Killua is strong, stronger then almost everyone Gon’s ever met, but he’s still no match for his older sibling. Not yet, at least.

Illumi nocks each fifty kilogram yo-yo off their trajectory, making it look as easy as swatting a fly. Killua responds with a swift twist of his wrist and the yo-yos turn in midair. They cartwheel back towards Illumi in a silver-blue blur.

With the barest flicker of movement, Illumi snatches the yo-yos by their string and _pulls._

Killua doesn’t have time to ignite the electric shocks before he’s being forcefully dragged forward.

Gon has less than a second to register what’s happened. And by then Killua is gone, drawn towards Illumi by means of his own yo-yo invention.

Gon’s throat burns white hot with the force in which he shrieks, “ _Killua!_ ”


	8. Zoldycks' Heir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 9/6/2016  
> I don't own HunterxHunter.  
> Ugh, I'm so tired. I really need to sleep more. But, anyway, we interrupt your usual Gon point of view with some Killua point of view! Yay! When I wrote this sometime last month, it was my first time writing from Killua's POV. I'm not sure if I like writing from Gon's or Killua's POV better because they're both a ton of fun. Enjoy the chapter, thanks for reading this far!

Killua lets out a low cry- _he has to stop moving, if Illumi gets him it’s all over, he’ll never save Alluka or see Gon again, he has to STOP_ \- and digs his heels into dry dirt and pebbles. Somewhere behind him Gon hollers, “ _Killua!_ ”

Killua pulls up short just in front of his older brother and freezes as he stares into Illumi’s bottomless, inky-black eyes.

Illumi gazes at Killua, fixated. Killua’s insides twist. His skin breaks out in a clammy sweat that has nothing to do with the thick summer heat. He feels nauseous, like he’s going to throw up, and he can’t stop the rush of memories that overwhelm him in seconds:

_Illumi tying his wrists with rusty chains in the basement when he was four; Illumi force feeding him poisoned blood-red wine; Illumi pulling out the stuffing from Alluka’s dolls in front of her with Killua at her side; Illumi locking away his precious sister forever so Killua wouldn’t be able to rebel against Illumi’s authority-_

“KILLUA!!!!”

Gon’s voice jolts Killua out of his stupor. He inhales sharply and the world spins back into reality as his memories from the nightmare years fade.

Out of the corner of his vision, Killua can see Gon lurch forward to help him- “No! Killua!”- but Illumi says, “Killu. Make him stop.”

Killua’s heart turns to ice.

Illumi thinks Gon is as good as dead with the zombie bite. He thinks he beat them, that Killua will lose hope and come running back home the second Gon becomes a living corpse. But what Illumi doesn’t know is that as long as Killua and Gon reach Alluka, Gon can survive. The worst possible situation would be if Illumi kills Gon before they find Alluka. Then Gon really would be lost forever.

Killua wasn’t about to let that happen.

“Don’t come any closer!” Killua shouts over his shoulder and Gon skids to a stop. Gon looks like he’s going to argue but Killua snarls, “No, Gon- I mean it! He won’t hesitate to strike you down!”

“But what about you?!” Gon yells back, tone verging on hysterical. “He can’t have you, I won’t let him take you away!”

It’s hard for Killua to breathe around the lump in his throat. His eyes sting. “Gon-”

“Enough talking, Killu.” Illumi yanks on Killua’s yo-yo string, making him stumble forward, away from Gon. “This is between you and me. It has nothing to do with your _friend._ ”

Killua doesn’t want to listen. He has nothing but years’ of resentment and hateful fear for his oldest brother. But he doesn’t exactly have a choice.

“What do you want, Illumi?” Killua says as he makes himself to look the older male in the face.

Illumi tilts his head as if confused. He states matter-of-factly, “It should be obvious by now. I want you to come home.”

Killua snorts. Where had he heard that before? “I already told you, that’s not going to happen.”

“Oh, it will,” Illumi insists and the certainty in his voice scares Killua. “It might take some time, but you will. It’s in your blood.”

“ _What_ is?” Killua asks through gritted teeth.

“Killing,” Illumi answers.

Blood rushes out of Killua’s face. Illumi sways in front of him. His legs aren’t supporting him like they should, why is that?

Oh, right. He’d fallen nearly _three freakin’ stories_ less than twenty minutes ago, that’s why. Killua inwardly curses his bad luck. Nothing could ever just work out for once, could it? With the fall messing with his brain, he can barely think straight much less have a heated debate with his manipulative oldest brother.

“You’re wrong,” Killua argues but it sounds weak, even to his own ears.

“You think so? I doubt it. You’re a Zoldyck, after all. _And_ the heir. You are very important, Killua.”

“Enough already with the whole ‘heir to the Zoldyck fortune’ bullshit!” Killua snaps before he can help himself.

It’s a mistake. Illumi’s hand snags out and grips Killua’s neck in a claw-like hold. Stars burst across Killua’s vision. He gasps for air as Illumi adds pressure, crushing his windpipe and making it impossible to use his lungs.

“Killua!!!” Gon screams again off in the distance.

His shriek echoes in Killua’s ears. _Please,_ Killua prays, _don’t come any closer,_ as Illumi says calmly, “You need to learn your place.”

He leans close to Killua, so close they’re nose-to-nose. If he wasn’t already chocking, Killua would have stopped breathing out of terror.

Illumi speaks to Killua alone as he says lowly, “I won’t hesitate to bring you back home if you continue being so insistent on stepping out of line. Its only Father’s promise that’s stopping me from doing it right now, in fact.”

Killua’s eyes bulge as pressure builds up under his skin. His face is probably turning a light shade of purple by now. Everything is tingling, even the tips of Killua’s fingers. He doubts Illumi would really kill him but if he doesn’t let go soon Killua can kiss Earth goodbye for good-

An idea flickers into his brain. Killua acts on it before he can question it.

He snaps his fingers and he’s suddenly blinded by arcing electricity.

Illumi’s hands disappear as the air is filled with the heavy smell of burning flesh. Killua’s feet hit the ground with enough force that his knees buckle. By some miracle he stays on his feet even as the electric sparks fade away.

He coughs violently, chest heaving, and tastes iron on his tongue. He spits out a mouthful of blood. It splatters on the destroyed concrete and he wrinkles his nose. The taste of fresh blood is gross but nothing he hasn’t dealt with before.

Killua slowly straightens to see Illumi staring at his charred hands. He’d been holding both of Killua’s yo-yos when Killua activated the electricity. A bad move on his part.

“You weren’t expecting that, were you?” Killua wipes more blood from his mouth. It smears across his hand and stands out vividly against the white tone of his skin.

Rather than angry, Illumi just seems nonplussed. “No, not at all. That is a very impressive weapon, Killua. Mother would be proud.”

And there he goes again. “I’m sure she would be. It's too bad _I don’t care._ ”

Illumi lets his gaze wander from his hands to Killua to just over Killua’s shoulder- where Gon is no doubt frozen, unsure of how to act- and back to Killua again.

After a tense pause, Illumi says, “You show great promise. Nothing you do can change the fact that you are naturally suited as head of the Zoldyck lineage. Not you, or Alluka, or that boy you call your friend.”

He spits out that last word like its dirt. Killua’s nostrils flare but Illumi continues, “He’s a bad influence on you. One day you will see this. After he is gone, you will realize your true place is with the rest of the family. And under my proper guidance, of course.”

Killua really doubts that day will ever come but he keeps that to himself.

Illumi’s hands drop to his sides and he sighs. “But I can see you are not ready to come to the vacation house just yet. You still have-” his eyes slide over to Gon once more and they narrow. “- _things_ to finish. When you are done, make sure you head back. Father and I will be waiting.”

He turns away, the zombies mimicking his motion, and Killua’s mouth falls open in shock. What? Illumi was just _leaving?_ Just like that? He wasn’t dragging him back by force? It couldn’t be that simple…

But he watches Illumi’s back vanish around the corner along with his hoard of mind controlled zombies. He doesn’t return.

The next second muscled arms are twisting him around and he finds himself squished against Gon’s chest.

“Killua,” Gon sobs. His whole frame shakes around Killua. It makes Killua’s head spin. “You’re okay! I was so s-scared!”

He needs to say something to comfort Gon or he will never stop crying. Killua says, voice muffled, “I’m fine, Gon. I promise.”

“How can you say that?!” Gon pulls away but keeps his hands on Killua’s shoulders. His face is a complete and utter mess of tears and snot. “He was strangling you!”

“Yeah, but he wasn’t _really_ going to kill me.” That’s what he likes to believe, at least. “I mean too much to my screwed up excuse of a family for him to do any lasting damage.”

Gon’s expression crumples and Killua finds himself in another bone-breaking hug. Gon mumbles into the crook of his neck, “He shouldn’t have had the chance to hurt you. You should’ve let me fight him-”

Killua’s head is starting to pound. “And what? Let you get yourself killed in the process? It’s not worth it.”

“ _Yes._ It is. You’re worth it, Killua. You’re always, always worth it! I wish you believed that more.”

Killua blinks at the frankness of Gon’s words. He’s speechless, for once.

But Gon is talking again anyway so he doesn’t have to think of anything to say, “-sides, I’m bitten. I’m pretty much dead as it is.”

Killua shakes his head and instantly regrets it. “No, you’re wrong.”

Gon leans back again, brows pulled down. “I…am?”

“Yeah. You are.”

His friend frowns suspiciously. “What are you planning, Killua? You’re not going to sacrifice yourself for me or anything dumb like that, right?”

Killua rolls his eyes. He can’t help it. “Yee of little faith, Gon.”

“I’m being serious, Killua,” Gon says.

Killua waves his hand. “Don’t worry. I have an actual plan this time.”

“Really?”

Killua sighs, exasperated. “Really. First, though, we have to find my- my-”

A strange feeling bubbles inside him out of nowhere. The world tilts sideways and Killua is dropping even as he mutters the last word, “-sister.”


	9. Alluka's Other Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 9/14/16  
> I don't own HunterxHunter  
> I want to get this out before I go home for the weekend. Thank you so much to everyone for all the kudos and everything- they really make my day! This is a shorter chapter but I hope you like it anyway :)  
> Tumblr: http://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/

Gon gasps- “Killua!” – and lurches forward to catch his silver-haired friend before his head can crack against the ground.

“Killua? Killua!” Gon shakes him lightly, panic building up in his throat. Killua’s eyes flutter open barely a second later.

Thank god. The tension melts off Gon’s shoulders and he breathes out, “Killua.”

Killua groans. He throws an arm over his eyes and mutters, “Ugh. Please don’t tell me I just nearly passed out.”

Gon laughs easily, relieved. “I won’t tell anyone, promise.”

“You’d better, or else I’ll kick your ass,” Killua growls and Gon grins. A Killua that could threaten him was a normal Killua in his books. Impulsively, he squishes Killua to his chest in a tight hug before letting go.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Gon asks as he helps Killua up on shaking legs. Killua’s hands are placed firmly on each of Gon’s shoulders for support as he tries to stand on his own.

Killua nods. “It’s just the fall. I can deal with it until we find Alluka.”

Gon bites the inside of his cheek. Killua won’t like what he has to say next but he needs to say it anyway.

“Killua, I think you should go on without me.”

Killua tenses and his grip on Gon tightens. “Why?”

Gon winces in slight pain under Killua’s grasp. “Because! I was bitten! I’ll turn soon and you should be as far away as possible when that happens.”

“Wow.”

“What?”

Killua smirks, drops his arms. “I never knew you to give up so easily, Gon. I’m disappointed.”

Gon glowers, annoyed. “What are you talking about?! I’m not giving up, I’m thinking about you and Alluka!”

“Jeesh, calm down.” Killua’s bangs fall into his eyes as he shakes his head. “I know you’re worried, okay? You don’t have to be, though. Alluka and Nanika are going to fix you up before you change permanently. We just have to get into the mansion, first…”

He frowns at the gate and Gon gapes at him. Gon repeats, “Nanika-?”

Killua waves his hand distractedly. “Like I said, don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine. C’mon, I think the side door is this way.”

They find the door, get past the gate and make their way up a hidden dirt path. There’s a lot of concealed traps and animals roaming about the property, but Killua knows his way around them all. Sure, they have to jump up a tree or two to avoid a bomb, and Gon even had to carry Killua so he could catapult them over a canyon that randomly appeared in front of them, but they survive just fine.

They don’t find any zombies. Not even a detached body part twitching around. Illumi must have taken them all with him when he left.

Gon clenches his jaw. It was horrifying, being so powerless and having to watch Illumi trap Killua like that. Gon wanted to jump in, grab Killua and run away as fast as he could, but Killua had told him enough stories to know that he stood no chance against Illumi. He couldn’t hear what they were talking about either, so he was stuck.

His vision burned red when Illumi strangled Killua. He was going to rip Illumi’s hands off of his best friend. He didn’t care about the damn consequences!!! Killua was suffocating and he wasn’t going to stand there and do nothing!

He’d taken the first step forward to attack but then Killua had set off his yo-yos, and Gon was left frozen in place, unsure of how to react.

Gon takes a slow breath to calm himself. He has to focus. Illumi isn’t the problem anymore.

The problem now is that neither of them are in any condition to continue much farther. Even though he won’t admit it, Killua’s head is in really bad shape. Gon has to make sure they stop enough so Killua’s vision stops spinning in dizzy circles. He tries to jumps in as much as possible when his best friend is too woozy to fight or side step traps. But everything Gon does speeds up his heartbeat and spreads the virus to the rest of his body. He doesn’t know how much time he has but he can’t tell Killua that. The pale teen would freak out….

He really wishes Killua would leave him behind, just this once. At least Gon would know that his best friend was safe, even if he wasn’t.

“There!” Killua shouts.

Gon’s thoughts scatter. He follows Killua’s pointed hand with his eyes to see Killua’s mansion a little ways off. It looks just like it did when he was here two years ago to argue with Killua’s family so Killua could go to Gon’s high school. The only difference now is that all the windows are dark. No butlers stand at the entrance to stop them from entering.

“Alluka’s in there?” Gon asks Killua.

“Yup. Now that everyone’s gone it should be a piece of cake finding her.”

“And you really think she can help me? Because of her, um, Other Side?”

“Mhm.” They start to ascend the steps leading to the door. “Fixing you up will be easy for Nanika. We just have to ask Alluka if we can talk to her.”

Gon tries to think back on what Killua told him about his only sister: Killua had said that Alluka was a normal kid for most of her life- _“Well. As normal as a Zoldyck can be, I guess.”_ –but when she was around five years old she got really sick. Like, almost died kind of sick. She got better eventually, but not all of her symptoms went away.

Something stayed within her. Alluka’s skin would sometimes turn clammy and grey, her eyes became two black holes. She didn’t blink or breathe or eat when she was in this state. She couldn’t talk in complete sentences but she liked to ask for things. When her requests weren’t fulfilled, bad things happened.

Killua wouldn’t tell him what kind of things. His expression when Gon first asked made Gon swallow thickly with dread.

Nanika was the name Killua gave Alluka’s Other Side. Killua’s family didn’t like Nanika because they saw her as a threat and they treated Alluka differently because of it. But Killua told Gon that Nanika was just an extension of Alluka- “They’re like twins but in the same body. I know it sounds weird but it’s the only explanation that makes sense.”

Killua loved Alluka. So it was only natural he loved Nanika, too. That’s why he brought Alluka to his and Gon’s high school so that she and Nanika would get to experience a normal life outside of the Zoldycks. He was making plans to get them out of his family’s grasp forever too, but the apocalypse had kind of stalled that.

Nanika loved Killua, and she liked Gon too on the few occasions they’d interacted. She would help Gon if she could, but Killua told him only bad things happened around Nanika. Was it even possible for her to heal him?

Killua seems to think so. He takes the steps up to the mansion porch two at a time, face alight with hope.

Gon smiled. He would trust in Killua. His best friend had never failed him before.


	10. Pinky Swear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 9/26/16  
> I don't own HunterxHunter.  
> We're getting close to the end here. I'm so sad! This was my first HunterxHunter fic that I actually managed to type out and put on here, so I really appreciate all of you for reading this far! I hope you enjoy the chapter :)
> 
> My tumblr: http://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/

The mansion is old. When Killua was younger, he would get caught sneaking around long after the butlers closed up for the night because the floorboards always creaked under his feet. It made things like visiting Alluka in the dead of night annoyingly difficult.

By now, though, Killua knows his way by heart. He’s learned where to step and how to make his footsteps too light to make the slightest squeak. Even now with the mansion as empty as it is, his steps are silent on the centuries-old wood boards.

Old habits die hard.

“Killua?” Gon’s whisper carries through the darkness.

“Yeah?” Killua asks, licking his lips. They’re dry and cracked. Maybe after they find Alluka they can grab some water from the kitchen. That would probably help.

“I, um. Where are you? I can’t see…”

Oh, right. Gon obviously doesn’t know his way around like Killua does, and with Killua being so quiet, it’s no wonder Gon lost sight of him.

Killua sighs. “Okay, wait a second.” He reaches out in the general area of Gon’s voice, finds Gon’s hand searching for him just as he was searching for Gon, and holds on tight. Gon’s hand is sweaty and coated in a layer of grime, but Killua doesn’t care. His own isn’t much better.

They make their way down the hallway. When they reach the end, Killua pulls open the door for the stairs leading to the lowest layer of the house.

“My parents lock Alluka down here on weekends and nights during the school year,” Killua answers when Gon asks why they’re going to the basement. “And pretty much all summer, too.”

Gon makes a noise of disgust. “I always knew your parents were horrible people, Killua, but this is just…. I didn’t realize it was this bad. If I had, maybe I could’ve-”

Killua interrupts sharply, “Don’t blame yourself. There’s nothing you could’ve done to get her out. I couldn’t even do anything and I’m the ‘chosen child’. At least she was going to school with us, right? That was the most freedom she’s ever had and it was all because of you that I could do that for her in the first place. You already did more than anyone.”

Gon squeezes his hand. “I’m glad I helped at least a little. If I can do more, though, you should tell me! I’d do anything for you, you know? And Alluka, of course.”

Killua huffs, “Yeah. I- I know.” His face is uncomfortably warm. He can tell he’s blushing and that somehow makes him flush even more. Thank god for the darkness.

They’re both quiet and for a moment the only sound is their feet shuffling down the steps.

Killua wrestles with himself silently for what feels like an age before finally giving in and muttering, “Me too.”

“Huh? Did you say something, Killua?”

 _Ugh._ Gon was going to make him say the whole damn thing. Killua grits his teeth. Forget the zombies, he was going to die from embarrassment, right here, right now.

He somehow forces himself to say, “I _said,_ I would do anything for you, too.”

“Oh!” Gon’s tone brightens and Killua just knows Gon is grinning like an idiot, even though he can’t see the other’s face. “I already knew that!”

Killua sputters, “What?! Then- why the hell did you ask me to repeat myself?!”

“Eh, well. It’s nice hear you say it! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.”

Oh, _god._ They cannot seriously be having this conversation. Killua drags his free hand down his now burning face. “Jesus, Gon. You have no shame, do you?”

“Nope!” his best friend chirps.

“You’re an idiot,” Killua retorts impulsively.

“But I’m your idiot,” Gon points out and Killua wants to bang his head against the wall and die.

“Shut up,” he mumbles, ducking his head, and Gon laughs freely. It sounds like music and the tension in Killua’s shoulders slowly eases away.

Being with Gon is freedom. It doesn’t matter where they are or what they’re doing- even if they’re wandering through his miserable house while zombies hack away at the rest of humanity. Killua had planned on staying with Gon until the end of time anyway, and something as stupid as a zombie apocalypse wasn’t going to change that.

After they save Alluka, after they make it back to the airport safe and sound and meet up with Mito, they would go off and find Ging. Gon would meet his lame-ass excuse for a father and Killua would finally get the chance kick the _shit_ out of Ging for abandoning his son (Gon wasn’t aware of this yet, of course, but it was happening whether he liked it or not; Killua wasn’t going to compromise). Then they would travel the world together like they promised.

But first thing’s first: Find Alluka. Heal Gon. Make it to the airport.

Killua’s feet finally hit the level floor. He warns, “Last step, Gon.”

“Mkay.”

Gon hops down and Killua waits to make sure he has his footing before moving forward again.

The air here is musky and damp. There’s a light coming from the very end of the hallway. Killua’s heartbeat picks up. That’s Alluka’s room. The light is too far away and too small to be of any help but Killua can find his way using memory alone. It’s not like he hasn’t done this a million times before.

“Alluka’s room is the last one all the way down there, where the light is coming from,” Killua tells Gon.

“Is that why I feel a draft? Are there doors?”

Gon must be talking about the tiny breeze wafting under the doors on either side of the corridor. It’s a cool contrast to the humidity upstairs and outside. Killua says, “Yeah. There’s a lot of rooms down here.”

“What are they all used for? Your house is so big already with just the upstairs part.”

Killua’s nearly stumbles; these rooms are ‘experimental chambers’. It’s where his family like test their weapons against shields, animals and even humans. Killua himself was victim to these dark places. So were his siblings. It was all part of the Zoldyck trade.

“Killua.” Gon’s grip on his hand tightens when Killua doesn’t answer. “Where do all these doors lead to?”

Killua takes a deep breath. “They don’t lead anywhere, Gon. My family keeps prototypes and stuff locked up down here.”

“That’s it?”

Killua grits his teeth, his head starting throb. He wasn’t going to tell Gon the whole truth! The spikey haired teen was already wound up tight enough as it is. “Yeah. That’s it.”

“Killua,” Gon says slowly. He doesn’t sound convinced.

“What?” Killua snaps.

“Are you lying?”

“I- what?! No!” he sputters.

“Mmm, I don’t believe you.”

He shoots back, “Then don’t.”

“Killuaaaaa,” Gon whines. “Why can’t you just tell me the truth?”

“Because you’ll go crazy, that’s why. And I can’t deal with crazy Gon right now.”

“I won’t!”

“You _will._ Trust me. I know what I’m talking about, Gon.”

“But-”

Killua speaks loudly, “The only thing I can focus on right now is saving Alluka. Okay? I’ll- I promise I’ll tell you everything later.”

“Really?”

Killua deadpans, “Really.”

“Pinky promise?”

“Are you seriously going to do this right now?”

“Well, if we don’t you’ll find some way to back out. And I don’t want that.”

“Ugh.” Damn it. Gon knew him too well. “Whatever. Let’s get this over with-”

Gon pulls on their interlocked hands, yanking Killua around roughly so they’re face-to-face. Killua blinks. They’re close enough to the light now that he can make out Gon’s expression: deadly serious with eyes that shine like liquid gold.

Gon twists his pinky around Killua’s and holds on tight. “Okay! I’m ready now.”

Killua says with a shake of his head, “You take this way too seriously, you know?”

Gon shrugs but the oddly intense gleam in his gaze doesn’t go away despite Killua’s teasing, and Killua sighs. “ _Fine._ Have it your way.”

He doesn’t get why Gon is acting so weird. But if this will placate him, Killua doesn’t mind doing it. Even if it is unbearably embarrassing. His face is already starting to warm.

He brings their hands up and down and says in a sing-song tune, “I pinky promise to tell you everything once we save Alluka.”

“The whole truth.”

“The whole truth,” Killua amends.

“Or else you have to swallow a thousand needles!”

“Or else I’ll swallow a thousand needles,” he repeats dutifully.

“And we seal it with a-” Gon pushes their hands closer together and presses his thumb against Killua’s. “-kiss!”

Killua’s mouth falls open and his cheeks burn. Gon beams at him but Killua can only gape wordlessly. No matter how many times they did this, the last part never failed to catch him off guard.

“Stu-stupid!” Killua struggles to pull away but he can’t- Gon’s holding on too tight for him to break free. “ _Errggg-_ why do you always have to do that?!”

“Because, it’s an official part of the pinky swear!”

“No, it’s not!” Killua hisses.

“It is! Me and Aunt Mito do it all the time-”

“That’s because it’s you two! The rest of the world happily omits it-”

“But it’s not as fun without it!”

“Do you think I care?! I can’t- Gon, let go!”

“No!” Gon holds on even tighter now. “Not until you explain why you hate that part so much!”

Holy crap. Gon clearly has no sense of mortification in any shape, way or form. He bites out, “I shouldn’t have to-”

The door at the end of the hallway opens and the hallway is suddenly flooded with light.

Killua is blinded. He winces and holds up his free hand to shield his eyes. A figure stands in the door way. Killua recognizes the long layered hair and patterned pink dress that falls just below her knees-

His grip on Gon’s left hand tightens and his nails dig into the other’s skin. He doesn’t notice though because the young girl in front of him is the only thing he can see. Everything else falls away.

“Alluka,” he breathes.


	11. Until the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10/8/16  
> I don't own HunterxHunter.
> 
> This is the last chapter! I know, I can't believe its the end too :( Its been amazing seeing all the support for this story grow as time passed, thank you again to everyone who enjoyed reading this! The epilogue will be up soon. Enjoy~
> 
> My tumblr: http://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/

Before Killua can move, Alluka squeals in joy and throws herself on top of him. “Big brother!”

_“Whoa-!”_ He lets go of Gon to catch her nimbly in his arms.

“I knew it! I knew you would come for me!”

She nuzzles against him, her head fitting perfectly into the crook of his neck, and hugs him with all of her strength. Killua lets himself breathe a sigh of relief. He pats her head gently, smoothing down her hair where it sticks up at odd angles. For a minute they simply stay there and bask in each other’s presence.

He found her, she’s okay. He had never once thought Alluka left the mansion, but he could never be completely sure and the fear that something might happen to her was enough to drive him crazy. It’s liberating to finally be reunited, to feel Alluka’s warmth and to know she’s safe.

“Oh! Gon is here too,” Alluka says when she spots the other teen over Killua’s shoulder.

“Yeah. He helped me get to you.”

Gon smiles broadly. “Hey, Alluka.”

She bounds over to him, periwinkle eyes shining, and claps his hands in her own. “It’s so good to see you, Gon! I missed you. The summer is always way too long.”

“Totally,” Gon agrees. Killua sees the slight guilt in Gon’s expression and frowns. It wasn’t Gon’s fault Alluka was trapped down here. He would have to talk to him about it again later.

“Are you coming with us, too?”

“Yep! You know Killua, if I leave him alone for too long he’ll get into trouble.”

“Hey!” Killua snaps as Alluka giggles. “I think you’ve got that backwards, Gon! _You’re_ the one who’s always in trouble. I’ve had to dig your ass out of sticky situations more times than I can count.”

“Do not!”

“Do too!”

Alluka hides a grin behind her hand. “You guys are funny. You _both_ get each other into trouble! Neither of you are solely to blame. Besides, you always manage to get yourselves out one way or another. You’re a team!”

Killua and Gon blink at each other. She’s right, as usual. Whenever they got themselves in a tricky spot, it was because of their combined efforts. It was the same way when it came to escaping notice. They’d been _Gon and Killua_ for so long that Killua didn’t even remember when it began.

Killua nudges Alluka with his shoulder. “When did you get so wise, huh?”

“When you were too busy eating chocolate!” she says and shoves back. Killua clasps his hand over his heart in mock pain.

“Chocolate has been proven to be good for your heart, you know,” he says.

Gon chimes in, “That’s dark chocolate, Killua. And you eat too much it to be considered healthy.”

Killua waves his hand. “Whatever. Zombies will kill me before chocolate can. Speaking of which-”

“Yeah, we should get going!” Alluka bounces on the balls of her feet.

Killua hates to break her excitement. But- “Actually, Alluka, before we go there’s something I need your help with…”

She tilts her head to the side with a puzzled look. “What is it?”

“It’s Gon. He’s been infected by a zombie.”

Alluka gasps and her hands fly up to cover her mouth. “Oh no…” she murmurs. She sends Gon a horrified but sympathetic glance and Killua’s best friend grimaces. “How…how were you bitten?”

Killua feels his face darken and Gon begins, “Uh, well-”

He interrupts by saying shortly, “Illumi. Who else? Did you see him at all, by the way? He mentioned that he came by the mansion.”

Alluka winces at the mention of their shared older sibling. She shakes her head. “I didn’t see him. If he came into the mansion, he didn’t come this way. I heard a lot of bustling upstairs a day or two ago but no one has been down here since.”

That makes sense. Illumi has no use for Alluka, so why would he bother visiting her upon his brief return to the mansion? But the logic behind that action is so twisted and cruel that fury washes over Killua in waves. His body shakes with pent up rage and it takes all of his control to not punch a nice colossal hole into the wall.

His so called ‘family’ left Alluka down here alone, unprotected with the complete knowledge that she would eventually starve or be attacked by a zombie. They had left her here to _die._ Taking Zoldyck reasoning into consideration, they probably thought it was ‘humane’ way to wash their hands of her once and for all.

He clenches his hands into white knuckled fists. Gon glances at him with knitted brows, but Killua ignores him, too focused on his own burning emotions.

He had known all of this before, of course, but actually faced with the evidence that his relatives left Alluka defenseless officially drives the point home. He hates them, every single last one of them. He can’t face them again with the awareness of what they did, and the best part is he doesn’t have to! They can’t control him, anymore. As long as he is still breathing, he and Alluka will never go back to them.

Staying with Gon and his aunt had always been way more fun than going back ‘home’ to the mansion, anyway. And Gon already promised Killua that he could live with them as long as he wanted. Warmth blossoms in his chest for his friend, mixed with a swelling gratitude. He isn’t alone, not with Gon to support him.

Gon’s concerned voice cuts through his thoughts, “Killua? Are you okay?”

Killua feels his heartbeat slow as his rage subsides. He breathes out slowly. Alluka and him will be fine. They will survive this. And they will do it  _without_  their family. He doesn’t need them, anyway.

He has Gon.

He turns to his best friend and gives him a crooked smile. “Yeah. Thank you, Gon.”

Gon frowns. “For what?”

Killua laughs and shakes his head. “I’ll tell you later.” He _had_ promised Gon a heart-to-heart after they got out of this mess. He would thank him then.

“Are you sure? You looked kinda weird there for a second.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. _You’re_ the one we need to worry about right now. The infection is only getting worse while we stand here doing nothing.”

“Do you want me to switch with Nanika?” Alluka asks. “That’s probably what you were going to ask me, right?”

Killua says, “As long as it’s not too much of a burden on you. It’s just that I’d rather get him cured before we head back.”

“Of course! I want Gon to be healed too. I’ll call her right away.”

Alluka closes her eyes and immediately her body is shrouded in a strange aura.

Gon leans away. “Um. Killua? Do you really think this will work? I thought you said only bad things happened around Nanika.”

Keeping his gaze on his sister, Killua answers, “Usually that’s the case. But this isn’t a normal situation.”

“Oh.”

A pause.

Killua counts down in his head:  _3..2..1-_

“And why is that?” Gon asks.

Killua bites back a smirk. Gon is so predictable with his questions, sometimes. He bends his arms behind his head as he explains, “When Nanika asks for stuff and you can get something in return. No one knows why it happens, but it does. And then there’s a backlash part if you can’t give Nanika what she wants.”

He doesn’t tell Gon what he knows his family thinks about his sister: that Alluka was the first ‘infected’ person in the form of Nanika, that she purposefully gave her illness to the butlers who couldn’t give her what she asked for, and that letting her go to public high school somehow spread the ‘zombie disease’ that started this apocalypse in the first place-

He doesn’t tell Gon, because his family is _wrong._ Even if Nanika was the first ‘zombie’, she never bit someone or infected another human. It was just the opposite; Nanika’s bite healed those who were hurt in any way, shape or form. She had healed a bird’s broken wing when Killua had offered it to her when they were still children.

And now, she would heal Gon.

Gon’s voice interrupts his train of thought. “Yeah, you’ve told me that before. What does that have to do with us, though?”

Killua looks at him then, knowing his eyes are bright even in the dim light. “Because you have _me._ And I won’t let anything happen to you, ever.”

Gon’s worry melts off his face and something softer, something full of warmth and unrestricted affection, takes its place. Killua’s breath catches in his throat; there’s something deeply intimate in the way Gon gazes at him, like Killua is the only person left in the entire world.

It’s an emotion that Killua is almost too scared to name.

“I know,” Gon says simply. He reaches out and gently squeezes Killua’s hand. “No matter what happens, we’re together until the end. We promised, right?”

Killua inhales deeply. His heart is racing like it’s trying to take off, and he silently prays to whatever God that still exists that Gon can’t see the blush rising on his cheeks.

“Right,” he whispers back to his best friend, who beams.

Out of the corner of his vision, Killua sees his younger sister opens her eyes. They’re filled in black holes without irises.

He grins as relief rushes through him. Everything would be okay, now. “Hey, Nanika.”

A wide smile stretches across her face. She squeals happily, just as Alluka had done earlier-

“Killua!”


	12. Epilogue

“Gon!” Killua’s shout echoes over the clearing. “Come over here, you have to see this!”

Gon’s head snaps up and his pulse starts to race. Without hesitation, he scrambles over rocks and sprints back to where his friend is waiting.

He finds Killua in front of a low cave that slopes down into the earth. Killua looks up and smiles when he catches sight of Gon, and Gon’s heart does a little backflip inside his chest.

“Did you find something?” Gon asks breathlessly.

“Yeah, look at this-” Killua holds out a small hand-held device. “You see there, on the screen? Those two dots are us, obviously, but if you pay really close attention…”

Gon squints at the screen. There, on the very edge, is a third blinking light.

He inhales sharply. “That’s- you think that could be-?”

“Probably! I mean, Ging left these rings for you on purpose, right? It makes sense that he would have a matching one. And there’s no mistaking that it’s the same unique metal that’s in the rings, either; Kite made sure this tacking thing was totally fool-proof. Whatever’s down there, it has to be the same as these.”

He holds up his index finger, pointing out the silver ring with a green gem in its center.

Gon rubs his thumb over his own ring self-consciously. Could this really be it? Would he finally get the chance to talk with his father after years of searching?

They had found the two rings nearly a year ago. On the way back to the airport after saving Alluka and Nanika, they had stopped by Gon’s house to pick up some last minute provisions. While searching through the cabinets for canned food, Gon had discovered the rings.

Aunt Mito told him they belonged to his father, and that she had been putting off giving them to him. She didn’t want Gon to put his future off to find Ging. But with the zombies, that didn’t matter anymore. Kite had then offered to make the tracking device in Killua’s hands to help Gon find anyone who might have a similar ring…all in the hopes that they would eventually find Ging.

Gon glances warily at the cave. “It’s down there?”

“Unfortunately,” Killua says with a sigh and shoves Kite’s ring tracker in his backpack.

Gon made a face. “It looks dark.”

“Well, it’s a cave, so yeah. It is.”

“And spooky.”

“That’s just your imagination talking. We’ve faced things way worse than whatever’s down there.”

“What if there are zombies?” Gon finally asks and Killua shrugs.

“I doubt it. They’ve stopped popping up everywhere since Nanika and Alluka have been healing everyone. I’m sure there’s a lot still out there, but their numbers are getting real small real fast. And what are you even worried about that for?! You’re already immune since we saved her! She bit you and everything.”

Gon scratches the scar on his arm where Illumi’s zombie bit him. He still dreams about it sometimes, waking up in the dead of night drenched in cold sweat. But then he sees Killua’s sleeping face besides him and Gon’s fears melt away.

As long as he has Killua, he can rest peacefully.

“I know,” he says. “I’d rather avoid them if we could, though.”

“Don’t worry about it! Jeez. There’s no way a zombie would go down there.”

“How come?”

Killua rolls his eyes. _“Because_. There’s no food down there for a zombie. Normal humans wouldn’t go in there, so there’s no reason for a zombie to.”

“But you just said Ging went down there!” Gon points out.

“I said _normal_ humans, Gon. You’re dad’s anything but normal.”

Gon sputters out a laugh, unable to help himself, and Killua grins at him with eyes that shine.

“Are you scared to see him?” Killua asks.

Gon frowns. “…no. It’s just kind of weird knowing I’ll actually get to talk to him.” What would he even say to the person that had pretty much abandoned him to Aunt Mito? This whole time he’d been so focused on finding Ging that he never thought about what would come after.

He shifts his gaze from the cave to Killua, who is staring into the cave with narrowed eyes; his friend’s clothes are muddy and his silver hair is dusted with dirt and tree leaves. He looks sweaty and hot and gross, but to Gon, he’s beautiful.

Killua’s always been beautiful to Gon. Maybe after this is over, he’ll tell him.

“Is there anything you want to do after we find Ging, Killua?” he wonders out loud.

Killua purses his lips. “Hm. I guess…I want to take Alluka out to see the world. I know it’s dangerous, but I think it should be okay. I can keep her safe, and we’ll just go healing every zombie we find. Depending on how long we spend with your dad, most of the zombies should be healed by the time we get back to the safe camp anyway.”

He looks sideways at Gon. “You’re coming with us.”

Gon beams even as his heart swells. “Yeah, of course! There’s no place I’d rather be then by your side. We promised each other, after all!”

 _“Tch._ Bringing that up, again?” Killua huffs. Gon’s smile widens as he watches Killua’s cheeks turn pink.

“Only ‘cause you blush really pretty whenever I do,” he teases.

Killua’s eye twitches. _“You-_ seriously, Gon, you have to stop saying that!”

“But it’s so much fun to see your reaction,” Gon says and purposefully leans into Killua’s personal space. Killua’s eyes are very large now, and Gon can see the tiny sparks of silver in those beautiful blue orbs, count the nearly invisible freckles splashed across rosy cheeks-

“L-last one to find Ging has to make dinner!” Killua suddenly shrieks and backpedals away. He takes off into the cave, pelting into the darkness so fast he’s a streak of white.

Gon is left standing at the cave’s mouth, jaw hanging down. “W-what?! Killua, that’s no fair! You got a head start!”

Killua’s chortling laughter reverberates off the cave walls. Gon curses before racing after his best friend.

They’re going to be okay, he thinks to himself. He can see Killua a few steps ahead of him and, with an extra burst of energy, he catches up enough so they’re running side-by-side. He grins at Killua and his best friend smiles back. Even though they’re running, Gon’s heart stutters at the sight.

As long as they were together, they would be okay. If a zombie apocalypse couldn’t tear them apart, nothing ever would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 11/2/16  
> I don't own HunterxHunter.
> 
> I am so sorry for the delay in this! When I began putting chapters up for this story, I had already written the entire thing except for the Epilogue, so that's why the other chapters were added faster. Thank you to everyone who stayed with this thing until the end! It means a lot to me :) I hope you enjoyed it~
> 
> My tumblr: http://decembercamiecherries.tumblr.com/


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